Big Brother Producers Defend Controversial “Hamster Wheel” Twist After Fan Outrage

Big Brother executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan respond to backlash following Rachel Reilly’s shocking elimination.

The Big Brother franchise is no stranger to controversy, but few twists have ignited as much debate as the “Hamster Wheel” challenge from season 27’s White Locust twist.

For executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan, the idea to adapt the high-stakes competition from the holiday spinoff Big Brother: Reindeer Games to the main series seemed like a no-brainer. But they never expected the fierce backlash that followed — especially after fan-favorite Rachel Reilly was eliminated without a vote.

From Reindeer Games to Prime Time

Originally introduced in Reindeer Games, the hamster wheel maze came with a brutal twist: the first player had five minutes and 30 seconds to finish. Each subsequent competitor had one minute less, until someone failed and was instantly eliminated.

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That version reached iconic status when Britney Haynes shocked viewers by solving the maze in 3:30 and then strategically picking Danielle Reyes — who was eliminated — instead of volunteer Taylor Hale. The moment became a viral highlight and even fueled tension that later resurfaced on The Traitors.

So when producers brought the concept to Big Brother proper, they knew it would deliver drama. What they didn’t anticipate was the fury when it led to Rachel’s eviction without any vote or veto — a first for the flagship series.

“There Was a Social Element to It”

Fans accused the twist of being unfair and purely physical. Grodner, however, insists that strategy and social gameplay were still crucial.

“That’s off-base,” Grodner tells Entertainment Weekly. “There absolutely was a social element. Not everyone was going to go into that wheel — your relationships, alliances, and how you jockeyed for position in those ten minutes mattered.”

She points to Ashley, the eventual winner, as proof.

“Ashley was in the same alliance as Rachel, but no one pushed for her to enter the wheel. That’s social strategy.”

Meehan agrees, emphasizing that the twist wasn’t designed as a simple athletic challenge.

“It was built to be social and strategic as well as competitive,” he says.

Stakes, Strategy, and Fairness

Meehan argues that removing the risk would have undermined what made the hamster wheel special.

“People loved it on Reindeer Games because of the stakes. If we watered it down for Big Brother, it would lose its impact.”

He explains that the White Locust week still mirrored a standard Big Brother cycle — just in a different order.

“You had an initial challenge like an HOH to save yourself, and if you ended up in the wheel, that was like a Veto. The difference was, you had to make your social and strategic moves before the competition instead of after.”

Grodner calls it “a mis-ordered week,” but maintains it was fair.

“Everyone went in with the same rules,” Meehan adds. “Fairness is everyone playing by the same rules.”

Rachel’s Exit: “No One Wanted Her to Leave”

Of course, producers were as devastated as fans to lose Rachel — a Big Brother legend who had gone 60 days without ever touching the block.

“No one wanted her to leave that night,” Grodner says. “But the way she went out actually shows how social the twist was. In her mind, getting on that wheel was the strategic move — but she could have avoided it. Her own ally put her there.”

Ashley and Will, by contrast, avoided even mentioning the wheel.

“Ashley won the game,” Meehan notes. “She made sure she’d never be picked for that.”

The Twist That Shook the House

The White Locust twist was pre-planned long before the cast — including Rachel — was finalized.

“We design all the creative before the season starts,” Meehan explains. “We don’t alter the game to protect certain players. You set it up, and then you let them play.”

Even with the intense backlash — Grodner says she received death threats — the producers see the uproar as a sign of the show’s enduring power.

“In season 27, if fans are that invested, that’s success,” Meehan says.

Grodner agrees:

“You can’t produce from fear. Losing a big player hurts, but that unpredictability — that’s what makes Big Brother great.”

Will the Hamster Wheel Return?

After all the chaos, would they ever risk bringing it back? Grodner laughs at the idea.

“It was a great hour of TV. Maybe we’ll submit it for an Emmy!”

Meehan leaves the door open:

“It could come back — maybe not every season, but it’s definitely something we’ll look at.”

And Grodner offers one last tease for future houseguests:

“Be ready.”-

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